At this time of year, it's incredible to think that a small 2 foot by 4 foot section of my kitchen table holds nine different species of plant and almost 800 individual seeded plants. And this is just the last 24 hours of starts. I will go through the regime almost daily, scavenging for little pots and trays, scrubbing them clean, filling, meticulously laying seed, covering, and watering. And then scavenging for the scarce plastic markers to tell me what lies beneath the soil. Wood and clay markers, as pretty as they are, draw much needed water from your seedlings- so don't use them until your plants are much bigger. They will move into the grow area underneath artificial light until spring and warm weather is really here. Now, we sit and wait on these finished pots and hope. Gardening, above all, is about faith and hope.

A new season is officially upon us. Even though snow still cloaks the ground in some areas, planting season is quickly approaching. We will be ushering in a new growing season with the official launch of our farmshare here at Twin Creeks Farm. This first year will be an experimentation in group effort and rewards. We'll start with a maximum of ten families planting, tending, and harvesting. As of today, we only have three slots left to fill.

Crops that are already in because of permanent planting include apples, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, walnuts, and asparagus. Newly planted crops include two new varieties of apples and blueberries which will mature in coming seasons. Cold weather crops that can be planted in early spring include broccoli, carrots, lettuces, onions, and peas. As the weather warms towards Mother's Day, beans, corn, cucumbers, melons, peppers, potatoes,squashes, and tomatoes will go into the ground. We'll also be experimenting with some stir fry and roasting combinations which we have had success with in the past. Some of these include bok choy and kohlrabi and various root vegetables such as parsnips and colored potatoes. There will also be a varied herb garden set up in a cut and come again fashion. 

In the coming weeks we'll need help grooming small potted seedlings and help in getting the grounds ready outdoors. We'll also be repairing chicken coops and deciding on livestock options. You'll also get a chance to see us work the beehives and get a new hive set up as we lost one over the winter season. 

We'll be setting up the informal schedule over the next week or two. Keep in mind children are welcome to come and help. Children who learn to garden early often maintain an interest in growing their own food the rest of their lives. We'll vary the start times each day based on your availability keeping in mind that early start times in the hot summer help us stay cooler. 

I'm excited for this season. My jams are getting low in the refrigerator- and jars of preserved goods are getting low in the pantry. Salads from the store this winter just aren't the same as those fresh picked from the garden. But most of all, I can't wait to spend some quality time with my family and yours under the vast blue sky here at the farm. It sounds so corny- I know, but those slow times of conversation and gathered meals of last season are still fresh on my mind this March.